List of countries named after people

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This is a list of countries and dependent territories named after people.

Sovereign countries named after people

CountrySource of name
BoliviaSimón Bolívar
ColombiaChristopher Columbus
Dominican RepublicSaint Dominic
El SalvadorJesus (literally, The Saviour)
IsraelJacob, who was also called Israel in the Bible
KiribatiThomas Gilbert ("Kiribati" is the Gilbertese rendition of "Gilberts")
LiechtensteinPrincely Family of Liechtenstein
Marshall IslandsJohn Marshall
MauritiusMaurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange
MozambiqueMussa Bin Bique
NicaraguaNicarao
PhilippinesKing Philip II of Spain
Saint Kitts and NevisSaint Christopher
Saint LuciaSaint Lucy
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSaint Vincent of Saragossa
San MarinoSaint Marinus
São Tomé and PríncipeSaint Thomas and Prince of Portugal to whom duties on the island's sugar crop were paid
Saudi ArabiaMuhammad bin Saud
SeychellesJean Moreau de Séchelles
Solomon IslandsKing Solomon of Israel and Judah
SwazilandKing Mswati II
United States of AmericaAmerigo Vespucci (see Naming of America)
UzbekistanÖz Beg Khan
Venezuela (The Bolivarian Republic of)Simón Bolívar (as for the Bolivarian Republic), the name Venezuela is however derived from Venice. See: Venezuela#Etymology

Countries named after legendary figures

CountrySource of name
Hayastan (Armenia)Hayk (legendary figure)
BelarusRus (legendary figure)
CambodiaSage Kambu Swayambhuva
Czech RepublicČech (legendary figure)
DenmarkDan (king) (legendary figure, uncertain etymology)
Djibouti"Djibouti" means "Land of Tehuti" or "Land of Thoth", after the Egyptian Moon God
HungaryHunor (or Magyarország — Magor)
Bhārat (India)Dushyanta's son Bharata or Rishabha's son Bharata[1]
Éire (Ireland)Éire (Ériu), a Celtic fertility goddess
Laospossibly after Lava
Lechia (historical and/or alternative name of Poland)Lech (legendary figure)
NorwayNór (legendary figure, dubious origin of etymology)
Romaniafrom "Rome" / "Roman", which possibly comes from Romulus
RussiaRus (legendary figure)

Former countries named after people

CountrySource of name
Principality of Antioch, now part of TurkeyAntiochus, father of Seleucus I Nicator
Lotharingia (Lorraine), now part of Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and the NetherlandsLothair II
Rhodesia (former name of Zimbabwe)Cecil Rhodes

Dependent territories named after people

TerritorySource of name
Baker IslandMichael Baker
BermudaJuan de Bermúdez
Bouvet IslandJean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier
Clipperton IslandJohn Clipperton
Cocos (Keeling) IslandsCaptain William Keeling
Cook IslandsCaptain James Cook
Falkland IslandsAnthony Cary, 5th Viscount Falkland
GibraltarTariq ibn Ziyad (from Jabal Ṭāriq, meaning 'Mountain of Tariq')
Jan MayenJan Jacobszoon May van Schellinkhout
Jarvis IslandEdward, Thomas and William Jarvis
Johnston AtollCaptain Charles J. Johnston
Juan de Nova João da Nova
Kingman ReefCaptain W. E. Kingman
Isle of ManManannán mac Lir
Norfolk IslandWife of Edward Howard, 9th Duke of Norfolk
Northern Mariana IslandsMariana of Austria
Pitcairn IslandsRobert Pitcairn (midshipman)
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Helena of Constantinople, Tristão da Cunha
Saint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Peter and Saint Michael
Sint MaartenMartin of Tours
South Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsGeorge III of the United Kingdom and John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich
Tromelin IslandChevalier de Tromelin
Virgin IslandsSaint Ursula and her 11,000 virgins
Wake IslandWilliam Wake
Wallis and FutunaSamuel Wallis

See also

References

  1. ↑ Roshen Dalal (2010). The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths. Penguin Books India. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-14-341517-6.
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